March 30, 2021 - The Simcoe County Loop is quickly becoming one of Ontario’s most popular cycling adventures. At 160km, the Loop connects nine municipalities and three bodies of water.

It comprises seven different trails and is predominantly off-road, multi-use pathways made of crushed limestone. The southernmost point of the Loop is located in Barrie, about one hour north of Toronto, but there are many different locations where you can start your ride. 

Whether you tackle this ride in one day or over several days depends on many factors, including how many stops you want to make to visit local attractions. Along the way, you’ll find museums, a provincial park and national historic sites, as well as harbour lookouts, beaches and rest areas.

Cycle Simcoe has prepared an interactive map to help you plan your trip. You can also download a PDF of the map, which includes a full list of cycling-friendly businesses and accommodations.

A growing number of blog posts and online reviews are celebrating this route, and almost all of them mention stopping at Em’s Café in Coldwater for baked goods, or the Grounded Café in Midland for coffee and smoothies. If it’s the right time of year, you will also want to check out Midland’s famous butter tart festival.

After you’ve completed the Loop, you can commemorate your journey with an exclusive “I rode the Simcoe County Loop Trail” t-shirt. Available only to people who have ridden the Loop, all you have to do is tag Cycle Simcoe in a social media post and they will send you a shirt.

Although there has been some confusion about whether or not e-bikes are permitted on all sections of the trail, we have reached out to several local representatives and confirmed that pedal-assist e-bikes are welcome.